A Guy's Advice
by RileyMLG
Summary: "Lily, you must be as barking as James is! He still fancies you!" Remus insisted. "Then why," I sulked. "did he go to Hogsmeade with her?" "Come on, Lils. Trust me- take a guy's advice." LE/JP


**A/N: This is written for the good Slytherins who still face tragedy due to Death Eaters. And because Lily and James are both so ignorant of each other's feelings and it's adorable. And because I love the Lily/Remus friendship.**

He just smiled that 'oh-so-understanding' smile. Git.

"Remus," I warned. "don't look at me like that."

"Like what, Lily?"

"See!" I jabbed a finger in his direction. "You're doing it now!"

"I can't help it," Remus chuckled, sinking further into the common room couch. "You're just so obvious! How he didn't pick up on it, I haven't the slightest clue."

"Stop talking about it! I'm too embarrassed already!" I squeaked, curling up in my armchair. It was one in the morning and we were the only two people in here, but still. _He_ has an invisibility cloak and who knows if he's watching? You know, he's probably at the astronomy tower with _that Emmaline_, but maybe he's here. I feel pathetic for hoping.

"All I'm saying," Remus said seriously, "is James has fancied you for the past seven years, and now when you finally admit you feel the same way and are about to ask him out, he says yes to someone else! He's probably so afraid of misinterpreting your friendship that he's completely convinced himself that you don't feel the same way."

I said nothing, still blushing beet red while thinking of what happened at breakfast today.

"_James," I smiled, sitting down across from him._

"_Evans," he grinned, a glint in his hazel eyes. I had to restrain myself from snogging him right then and there._

_I wrinkled my nose playfully. "I thought we were past surnames."_

"_You'll always be Evans to me," he informed me._

_"What about when I get married and change my surname?" I countered, just to see his reaction. Just as I expected, his face fell slightly before returning to it's easy lopsided smile._

"_To some tall, faceless stranger? Nah, you'll always be Evans."_

"_Mm," I nodded, thinking that if we both had it our way, he'd be calling me Potter. "Well, I didn't come over here to make small talk," I said shyly, blushing already. _Get a grip, Evans!_ I told myself as he cocked his head to the side, curious._

"_So you came for my devilishly handsome charm?"_

"_Something like that," I teased. "We've gotten to be really close... friends this year, and you've helped me a lot with- with my dad's death," I swallowed. "and I was wondering if maybe you wanted to, you know, come to Hogsm-"_

"_You ready, James?"_

_He jumped up quickly, blushing slightly. I mirrored him. "Yeah, Emmaline, let's go." he said to the tall brunette, smiling, but I could tell it was forced. It didn't quite reach his eyes. "Sorry, Lily, we can have our anti-small talk later, okay?" he smiled lopsided at me. I felt a stab of pride that I was the only one to coerce the lopsided grin out of him, only to be shattered when I realized that they were going to Hogsmeade together. Clearly it was prearranged, and though he had no idea I would ask him, I still was angry that he'd choose her over me._

"_Yeah," I said lamely, looking at the floor, before summoning up my Gryffindor courage and looking him square in the eyes. "Actually, never mind, it's not important," I shrugged, meddling my way out of having to talk to him later. I can't lie to save my life, so if I made up some excuse later, he'd see right through me. Best to avoid the confrontation altogether._

_Of course, he could tell I was lying now, though._

"_Are you sure? It seemed kind of important," he asked, brow creasing in worry. Emmaline Vance was staring up at me curiously so I just smiled, shook my head and started to walk away._

_I turned around after a few seconds, though I'm not sure why. James did too, and we both just looked at each other awkwardly and expectantly, a similar kind of longing in our eyes. "Have fun in Hogsmeade," I told him kindly before all but running out of the great hall with Marlene and Alice on my heels. They knew I was going to ask him out so they spent the entire sprint to Gryffindor Tower cursing him and Emmaline both._

"And," Remus pulled me out of my embarrassing flashback. "he's knows something's up. He was bugging me and Sirius all day if we knew what you were on about."

I panicked. "You didn't tell him, did you?" I all but shrieked, trying to contain the urge to grab him by the shoulder and shake the daylights out of him.

"Of course not!" he promised. "Though," he said smirking. "I told him that he should try to talk to you."

"Remus!"

"Lily, the bloke's mad about you! Just talk to him!" he tried to convince me as I paced around the room. Pacing helps. Usually. Right now, it's not doing any good, it's just making me dizzy in my sleep deprived state.

I covered my face with my hands. "It's already barking that I thought he still liked me!"

"What are you talking about?"

"Isn't it obvious?" I sighed, slinking into my armchair. "He only like me all those years because I didn't like him. I was a challenge. Now that we're friends, he either thinks he won or maybe he just realized how boring I am and decided not to bother. Either way, it's hopeless!" I said in a small voice, willing myself not to let the tears drop.

Remus was silent for a few seconds, and then burst into hysterical laughter. With my nose in the air, I stood up to brush past him and sweep up into my dormitory, but he stopped me with a gentle voice. "Lily, you must be just as barking as James is. He doesn't fancy Emmaline!"

"Why'd he go to Hogsmeade with her?"

Remus smiled nervously. "She's a Quidditch Captain?" he offered lamely.

"Yeah, for Slytherin." I scoffed. "Not that there's anything wrong with Slytherins, but James hates them. You and I both know that."

Remus heaved a big sigh. "Emmaline's dad's an Auror and he was killed last week in a mission. He was on the same mission as James' parents, but luckily they escaped. Emmaline and her father are part of the Order and James was only going to Hogsmeade with her to meet the others in the Order for a sort of memorial."

I gasped. "Oh, Merlin! I'm so sorry!" I felt close to tears. Emmaline, while we're not particularly close, was my potions partner last year and we were friendly. My own father passed away earlier this year, so I know how it feels.

Remus just gave a stressed out half-smile. "It's been happening a lot recently. You-Know-Who's getting stronger."

"That's why I'm joining the Order after we graduate." I said strongly.

"You're still going to be a Healer, right?"

I faltered. "I'm- I don't... no. I'm not."

"Why not? You're brilliant at Charms!" Remus urged.

I felt my face twist up in a grimace. "Remus," I said slowly and quietly. "I just can't do it. I can't deal with the mangled bodies. Every time I'll have to declare someone dead on account of the Death Eaters will just make me lose hope. I think I'm just going to work full-time for the Order. Dumbledore's going to pay us, you know. Not that I'd accept the money unless I was living on the streets without a knut to my name, but it's still there if we need it, a paying job."

Remus nodded slowly. "That's what I'm doing, too. No one's going to hire me."

"What- of course they will!" I was shocked. Remus has one of the top grades in our year and is bloody brilliant!

"Werewolf, remember?" he smiled dryly.

"Oh."

"Yeah. I know that James is dedicating himself full time to the Order." he wagged his eyebrows at me. I flushed.

"Oh? Well, really, that's... I mean, brilliant- good for him." I stuttered. "Yay," I cheered lamely.

"He's mad about you, Lils. Ask him out." Remus urged. "Merlin knows we need more love in the world."

I blushed at Remus' implication of love, but didn't deny or comment on it.

"I just don't know. So much is at risk... our friendship, his safety. If the Death Eater's found out that I was polluting one of the most ancient Pureblooded lines-"

"Lily!"

"they'd go after him for sure."

He just shook his head.

"And how do you know he still likes me?" I peeked out under my dark red lashes.

Remus just grinned. "Remember last year when I complained to you about him singing about you in the dormitory?"

"Yes," I giggled.

"That never stopped."

I laughed until it hurt. I was so happy and confused and in love, I just didn't know what to do with myself. Telling the object of my affection might be prudent, I'm sure, but for right now, I needed to be assured.

"Do you really think he fancies me?" I ask for a final time.

"Trust me," he groaned, probably thinking about James' singing again. "Take a guy's advice."


End file.
